1. Technical Field
This invention relates to personal hydration systems and in particular to a rigid shell for enclosing the fluid reservoir of a personal hydration system.
2. State of the Art
Personal hydration systems have become widely popular as a means to supply water and other fluids to individuals. Personal hydration systems often include a fluid reservoir and a pack for carrying the fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir includes a flexible bladder that can be filled with drinking fluids through a fill port, and a fill port cap for sealing the fill port so the fluids cannot escape the bladder. The fluids are removed from the fluid reservoir through a drink tube attached to the bladder. The drink tube can be used to suck fluids from the bladder into the mouth by the user of the personal hydration system. The fluid reservoir is often contained in a flexible pack that can be worn on the body of the user like a backpack.
Personal hydration systems are popular with individuals involved in outdoor sports, outdoor work, or other activities in which it is desirable to have ready access to drinking fluids without having to carry a drink container with the hands. A drawback with these personal hydration systems is that both the fluid reservoir and the pack are flexible and can be collapsed from external pressure. Thus, individuals who are involved in specific tasks or sports are finding that their personal hydration systems are failing as a result of receiving too much external pressure. For example, mountain bikers, backpackers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts are finding that a fall which puts external pressure on the personal hydration system will cause the fill port to leak and the fluid contained in the bladder to leak out, emptying the personal hydration system of its contents and rendering the system useless. Similarly, fireman, policemen, and other individuals involved in extreme condition tasks are having their personal hydration systems fail when the fluid reservoir receives too much external pressure.
Accordingly, what is needed is a personal hydration system in which the fill port and the bladder do not leak or fail when the personal hydration system receives external pressure. This document discloses a fluid reservoir shell that protects the bladder of the personal hydration system from external pressure, allows easy access to the fill port and drink tube of the fluid reservoir, fits within the personal hydration system pack, and keeps the fluid reservoir from leaking or failing when the fluid reservoir receives external pressure.